


Witchcraft

by Maplesyrup



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, Fluff, Jazz - Freeform, Party, Sinatra, Witchcraft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-27
Updated: 2016-02-27
Packaged: 2018-05-23 15:06:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,766
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6120349
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Maplesyrup/pseuds/Maplesyrup
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A fluffy little AU one-shot about Belle's 21st birthday party. She's the heir to her father's successful production company, and Robert Gold came to celebrate with everyone else.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Witchcraft

**Author's Note:**

> The idea grabbed me while I was listening to the song 'Witchcraft', and, well, there you have it.

_'Cause it's witchcraft_  
_That crazy witchcraft_  
_And although, I know, it's strictly taboo_  
_When you arouse the need in me_  
_My heart says yes indeed in me_  
_Proceed with what you're leading me to_  
_It's such an ancient pitch_  
_But one I wouldn't switch  
_ _Cause there's no nicer witch than you_

 

 

Belle French looked around the full ballroom, her cerulean eyes taking in the sea of people mingling around her. She smoothed her hands over the midriff of her soft gold vintage Pierre Balmain ballgown, a gift from her father to mark the occasion of her twenty-first birthday. He’d given her the dress with a not-so-subtle hint that she should use her party to land a husband.

Belle rolled her eyes at the memory. Leave it to her father to infuse a celebration with a sense of duty. Ridiculous.

She’d made it this far without a husband, making a name for herself in her father’s production company, Rose Productions Ltd., and she’d be damned before she let a man waltz in and lift the burden from her pretty shoulders. Having emigrated from Australia, a country where everything seemed to want to kill you, she was made of sterner stuff than any American _gentleman_ could throw at her.

The jazzy strains of the band weaved their way across the room, swing standards being their genre of choice for the night. She made her way to the refreshment table, humming lightly, and accepting a cup of gin punch from an attendant. As she sipped, she noticed her friend Ruby stroll in, looking breathtaking and so tall in a long red vintage Dior confection. Several pairs of male eyes swiveled in her direction, but she couldn’t be bothered to notice, her gaze locked on Belle at the table.

“Belle! Happy birthday, darling!” Ruby embraced Belle, squeezing her in excitement. “Twenty one! What a year! And you’re starting it off gorgeous as ever. I love your hair, and that _dress!_ ” She pulled back, reaching towards the table and picking up a glass of her own.

“To the next 365 days: may they be filled with mystery, passion, and the unexpected!” She clinked her glass with Belle’s and took a sip.

Belle laughed and shook her head. “Oh, no, Ruby. I have enough to do as it is, I don’t need anything else distracting me!” She downed the rest of her punch. “Come on, come dance with me. Dad’s probably searching for me to introduce me to one of his cronies’ sons and I’m not ready to listen to that yet. Tonight, I just want to be young. Let’s get lost in the crowd!” She tugged on Ruby’s hand, forcing the taller brunette to drink quickly and rush after her to the dance floor, the two young women laughing and dancing to the tune of ‘Luck Be A Lady’.

~

Robert Gold stood near his newest business partner, Maurice French, and tried to quell his mixed feelings of boredom and irritation at the man. There was a semi circle of cronies and their male offspring around them, and Maurice was holding court over the many charms of his only daughter. He’d yet to meet the girl, but to hear Maurice talk about her was to hear that she was the sweetest, most wonderful girl imaginable, and the sole heir to an entire fortune and company who was dying for the right man to come along and sweep her off her feet. 

Gold rolled his eyes and sipped from the glass of whiskey he held, looking around the room. Maurice’s daughter was probably dolled up as best as possible, but Gold doubted the girl was as thrilling to look at as all that if her father needed to play up her virtues so strongly.

Not that he was one to talk, Gold reminded himself. He was just shy of five-foot-eight, shorter than one would assume for a man with such an empire as he owned. His hair was long and greying, and his physique, while lean, was showing small signs of his 40 years on earth.

Growing weary of the pups hanging on Maurice’s every word, dollar signs clearly dancing in their heads, Gold excuse himself to refresh his drink.

“Alright, you old drunk, but don’t be gone too long! I have things to discuss with you about the future.” Maurice boomed, clapping Gold on the shoulder. Gold gave him a half smile in return, raising his glass in mock salute.

He made his way to the refreshment table, narrowly avoiding colliding with two women who hurried by him in a flash of gold and red skirts. Gold held his glass out to be refilled, while watching the two women hurry to into the mass of couples around them. He caught glimpses of a taller brunette in striking red, and a shorter brunette in a warm gold gown. They began dancing, a silly mimicry of the partners around them, and laughing. The shorter of the two turned and her face was in full view.

Gold felt his heart stop in his chest, time seeming to slow to a crawl. She was breathtaking.

Dark curls piled high on her head, large eyes, too far away to tell what color, but he could see how they lit up from her laughing. Her nose was lean and small, her mouth open in a wide smile. Her lips were red and her cheeks were flushed from enjoyment. He desperately wanted to take her in his arms and spin her like that, to see if she responded the same way to him.

Time sped back up as she twirled away from his view, and he blinked, wondering if it had been an illusion. She _had_ to be an illusion, that was his kind of luck. He lingered at the table, not wanting to return to Maurice, yet not sure what else to do with himself. Maybe given enough time dancing, she’d get thirsty and come back for a drink?

Some kind fate took pity on him, he decided, as he saw the taller one drag the object of his admiration off the dance floor and straight towards him. He felt a moment of panic, before realizing they were indeed coming back for punch as he’d hoped. He looked down at his own freshly-filled glass, contemplating his visage in the amber liquid and mentally scolded himself.

_Get your shit together, Gold. You’re head of a Fortune 500, for Christ’s sake, act like it._

~

Belle was gasping with laughter as she and Ruby twirled themselves around the floor. People around them were staring at them in mild disapproval, but Belle didn’t care. It was _her_ birthday, she didn’t know _half_ of these folks, and she was avoiding her father. And from where she was dancing, that was for the best. She wasn’t in the mood to deal with the gaggle of young bucks crowded around him.

Deciding she was ready to drink again, Belle began to drag Ruby back to the refreshments.

“Drinks! Of course! Let’s toast again to your birthday!” Ruby said along the way. 

The reached the table quickly. “And to giving all these silly boys the slip tonight!” She winked at Belle.

“Oh, hear, hear, Ruby!” Belle laughed, reaching for a cup, but her path was blocked by a long-haired man with a stern expression on his face.

“Excuse me?” She said, hoping he’d get the hint.

Gold turned to see that face right in front of him. She was even more beautiful up close. He realized he’d been staring for a beat too long. _Speak man!_ “Yes?”

“I just want to get cups for my friend and I, and, well, you’re kind of in the way.” She smiled and wrinkled her nose apologetically and pointed to the glasses. “If you don’t mind…?”

“Oh! Yes, by all means.” Gold moved out of Belle’s way, catching the scent of her perfume as she moved by him. _Roses._

“Thank you.” Belle took two glasses and handed one to Ruby, both of them sipping the sweet mixture contentedly.

_Talk to her!_

“The punch is a little strong, not trying to drown your sorrows so early in the evening, are you?” He gave her what he hoped was an ironic smile, raising his own drink in an attempt to indicate he knew the feeling well.

Belle laughed. “No, not quite. Just…trying to avoid someone. Or, rather, several someones.”  
  
Ruby snorted next to her. “Yeah, _several_ is a good way to put it.”

“Several someones? Well, that’s no way to spend a party. Is there anything I can do to help you avoid these notorious someones?” He congratulated himself on sounding so calm when what he really wanted to do was whisk her to some dark corner and—

_Stop it._

“Not unless you have a shitload of dough you can distract her father with.” Ruby elbowed Belle in the ribs.

“Ruby!” Belle blushed furiously.

“What? It’s true!”

“It’s also really rude!” Belle hissed.

Gold looked between the two lovely young women, amused at their bickering, and if he were being honest, charmed to his toes. His eyes focused back on Belle, and he couldn’t help the somewhat dreamy smile blooming on his face. She was adorable.

Belle dropped her face into her unoccupied hand in embarrassment, missing the grin that spread across his face as he watched her. “Please excuse my friend, sir. It seems she was born without a mind-to-mouth filter.” She said the last through her teeth, glaring daggers at Ruby around her fingers. Ruby just snickered into her cup, looking knowingly at the man standing with them. _Interesting._

“Well!” Ruby burst out suddenly. “I’m off to find some trouble of my own. Think you can manage to outrun them for a few more minutes without me?”

Belle glared at her. “Ruby, you traitor. Promise you’ll find me as soon as the song is done!”

“You got it, babe.” Ruby blew her a kiss and slipped into the sea of people.

“Is your father one of the someones you’re avoiding?” Gold gently asked.

Belle sighed, giving him a long-suffering look. “Yes, unfortunately. He’s over there right now trying to marry me off.” She gestured to her father across the room. Gold’s gaze followed to where she pointed, and he stiffened. **_She_** _was Belle French._

“It’s only a matter of time before he finds me and I have to spend the rest of my night listening to a bunch of trust-fund brats talking about their horses, or their boats, or whatever. It’s ridiculous. I just want to have fun tonight, and Ruby is the only one who is helping me.”

She saw him eyeing her with a strange expression on his face, his eyes wide and a little terrified if she wasn't mistaken.

Belle cringed. “Oh, damn it. I’m sorry. I don’t even know your name and here I am whining like a child.” She gulped her drink, hoping to drown her chagrin by draining the glass dry. It didn’t work. 

“You don’t have to listen to me go on and on.” She gestured to the table. “I’ve got alcohol and sweets to keep me company and give me the energy to run!” She gave a self-deprecating laugh, but her de facto companion just looked at her.

“Not funny, huh? Well, can’t win them all.” Belle took a deep breath and squared her shoulders. “Well, sir, it was nice to meet you. If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go die from embarrassment now.”

She made to walk away, but Gold grabbed her wrist. “Wait.”

She turned back to him, surprised.

“Dance with me?” His voice was full of hope, and a little bit of longing, his hand slipping down to hold hers gently.

Belle took in this man before her; his long, greying hair, warm brown eyes, strong nose. He cut quite the figure in his dark suit, and his hand in hers was warm, with long, beautiful fingers.

She tilted her head at him and smiled, her eyes twinkling. “On one condition.”

“Anything.”

She giggled. “Oh, I do love it when they say that. I’ll dance with you if…you tell me your name.”

“My name? That’s all?”

“Well, names have power, don’t you think?”

He gave her a bemused smile. “Yes, I do. Though it’s usually me saying things like that to people.”

Her grin turned a little evil. “You just wait ’til you know me better.”

He chuckled and brought her hand up, placing a kiss just above her knuckles. “Robert Gold, at your service, Miss French.”

Belle felt a tingle at the spot where he kissed her. “So you do know who I am.”

“Whatever made you think I didn’t?” He said, leading them to the dance floor. 

Gold placed one arm around her waist, slowly pulling her flush to his body, the other arm extended slightly out to their sides, his hand palm up, gently cradling hers. One of Belle’s arms slid around his shoulders, and she tightened her grip on his hand momentarily as he coaxed her body against his. He fell into a natural lead that Belle was all too happy to follow. 

They danced to the sounds of Sinatra’s _‘Witchcraft’_ , the tender strains and sensual lyrics swirling around them.

“I assumed that everyone here already knew who I was, despite _me_ not knowing _half_ of them. But you…you looked at me like I’m brand new to you. Or maybe you’re just…I don’t know, you just seem different.” She gave a small, shy smile, ducking her head as her cheeks became heated.

“Oh, no, Miss French, you’re quite correct.” His voice was a low rumble Belle could feel echo against her breast as he spoke. “Initially, I had no idea who you were. At first, I saw a beautiful  woman in a vintage gown, delightfully flustered, but when you gestured to your father I put the pieces together. Happy birthday, by the way.”

“Thank you. How did you know my gown is vintage?”

Gold brought his face closer to hers and lightly nuzzled her cheek with his nose. “I have my ways, darling.” The endearment chased a shiver down her back.

The delicious press of his body against hers as they moved through the room was maddening and wonderfully distracting. It was the two of them in a world that had shrunk to the size of the ballroom, all the couples around them fading away as they were absorbed in one another.

Neither of them noticed when they danced past her father.

Maurice was going over the finer points of a recent negotiation with a business associate when he saw his daughter and Gold moving across the floor. _How the hell…?_ He saw Belle toss her head back and laugh at something Gold said, and furrowed his brow in confusion before an idea came to him, and he laughed. She must be working him over for a better deal than Gold had given Maurice. That’s what it was. _That’s my girl, apple doesn’t fall far and all that._ He turned back to the deal at hand, giving no more thought to the couple.

In reality, there _was_ a deal happening between the two, but for a far less nefarious purpose than business and with a much better potential outcome.

“I bet you can’t.”

“Oh, I most certainly can, my dear, but I needn’t prove it.” Gold twirled Belle out, and pulled her back in again, delighting in her giggle as she landed against him.

“I think you’re scared.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Of what, Miss French?”

“Being beaten by a girl.” She smirked and quirked an eyebrow in kind.

Gold scoffed. “You’re not a _girl._ ”

Belle rolled her eyes. “You know what I mean.”

Gold sighed. “Fine then, but I’ll warn you. I’m not a lenient man and punishment shall be swift if you don’t settle your debt promptly upon my winning.” He gave her a haughty look.

She laughed, tossing her head back. “I’m not afraid of you, Mr. Gold. Give me your best shot.” She winked at him playfully.

He growled and whirled her around unexpectedly, and she shrieked in delight.

“Thirty minutes, Mr. Gold.”

“Ten.”

“Twenty.”

“Fifteen.”

Belle gave him a brilliant smile. “Deal. For the next fifteen minutes, you have to call me ‘Belle’, and I get to call you ‘Robert’. If you slip, even just once, you handle my dry cleaning from tonight, and if I slip, I handle yours. Are we agreed?”

He brought his face close to hers. “Agreed. And just so you’re aware, _Belle_ , Brioni is very difficult to maintain.”

Belle grinned, delighting in their sparring and their wager. “Bring it, _Robert_. Vintage Pierre Balmain with hand-sewn sequins and dip-dyed silk.”

Gold twirled her one last time, and turned her so her hand was tucked into the crook of his elbow. “Belle, would you like—“

“Oh, look! There’s my father! Let’s go say hi, it would be so rude not to, wouldn’t it, _Robert?_ ”

He ground his teeth, but she just grinned and stuck her tongue through her teeth at him and guided him towards Maurice.

Gold leaned close to hear ear. “That’s a dirty trick. You’ll pay for that, my dear _Belle_.”

“Promise?” She waved to her father as they got closer.  
  
Gold smiled to Maurice but his words were for Belle.

“Count on it.” 

~

Belle released Gold’s arm and reached up to kiss her father on the cheek. “Hello, Dad. Are you having a good time?”

“Belle! Splendid, my girl. And I see you’ve met Gold.” He clapped a hand on the shorter man’s shoulder. “What have you two been up to tonight? Where’s Ruby gotten to?”

“Ruby went to find some fun of her own, and … _Robert_ kindly asked me to dance so I wouldn’t be a wallflower for the night.” Belle looked at Gold, aware of her near miss.

Gold’s face was pleasantly neutral but his eyes held fire as they held hers. “It was my pleasure, _Belle_. Though I fear I may have monopolized your time and taken it from the strapping young men about the room.” He raised an eyebrow at her. _Take that, sweetheart._

“Really, _Robert_ , you’re too considerate. I’m sure these men have much better things to do than wait on a dance.” Belle smiled sweetly. _Too_ sweetly. 

Maurice’s eyes bounced back and forth between his daughter and new business partner, aware of the odd undercurrent but at a loss as to how to correct it. Had Gold said something to offend her? He did have a reputation for being a cold bastard. Or maybe it was the other way around?

“Uh, Belle, why don’t you see if you can find Ruby, and we’ll have them bring out the cake.”

“Sure thing, Dad. I’m sure she’s around here somewhere.” She turned to Gold. “Oh, _Robert_ , can you tell me what time it is, please?” She batted her eyelashes innocently, but Gold wasn’t fooled.

_Little minx._

He checked his watch. _5 minutes to go._ One of them had to break soon, he could tell Maurice was slightly offended at the seemingly causal use of his daughter’s given name, and her flippant  way of saying Gold’s.

“10:55, _Belle_.”

Her eyes sparkled with mischief. “Oh good, just a few more minutes then.”

Maurice gave her a  smile. “For what, Belle? The cake?” He chuckled. “It’s your birthday, my girl, you can have the cake yesterday if you want to!”

She kept her eyes on Gold. “You know, I think I saw Ruby head in the direction of the ladies’ room, I’ll check there. Be right back!” She smiled at her father, moving past Gold and giving him a cheekily dismissive nod.

_Oh, no, my darling girl, that's cheating._

"I think I'll take a stroll past the refreshments table before the cake comes out. If you'll excuse me, Maurice." Gold hastily walked away.

Maurice just watched them both leave, a puzzled frown on his face. 

~

Gold caught sight of Belle as she darted to the hallway that held the bathrooms. He quickened his stride and made it a split second after her.

Belle looked over her shoulder to see what the noise was, and gasped a little at the sight of him, her face breaking into an excited smile. She was beginning to bolt towards the relative safety of the ladies' room at the end of the hall, but he was quicker, catching her wrist and pulling her against his body.

His slid his arms around her, holding her snugly. "Little one, you still have three minutes left. You wouldn't be trying to cheat me out of our deal, would you?

Belle gave a breathy laugh, her heart pounding with excitement at being so exquisitely trapped in the circle of his strong arms once more. "No, _Robert_ , of course not. I'm a woman of honor and I always pay my debts."

He leaned in to nuzzle her cheek. "You're adorable."

"Mmm, I'm also the winner."

He placed a small kiss to the shell of her ear. "How do you figure?"

"You didn't call me 'Belle'. When you caught me, you didn't say 'Belle'."

He pulled back to regard her with a frown. "Semantics. That's a technicality."

"A technicality that makes me the winner." She grinned up at him. "I'll have my assistant bring my gown to your office tomorrow. I'll need your address, so do you have a card or—“

Gold suddenly pressed his lips to hers, effectively shutting her up, save for the small moan she gave at the feel of him against her. She brought her hands to his hair, her fingers tangling in the long, soft strands, and returned the kiss with vigor.

He pulled her tighter against his chest, his hands splayed across her back, and tilted his head, seeking a new angle by which to kiss her. She followed his lead, opening her mouth and letting her tongue explore his. He moaned at the contact, and she answered back with another of her own.

All too soon, they pulled away slightly, both breathing hard and staring at each other wide-eyed. He gave her a lop-sided smile, feeling slightly dazed. She gave him a small, shy smile of her own.

“If that’s your response to me winning our wager,” she said quietly, her fingers still playing in his hair, “you’ll never get me to stop making deals with you.”

He chuckled, pressing his forehead to hers and breathing her in. “Promise?”

“Count on it.” She said, sealing her lips to his once more.

**Author's Note:**

> IT'S SO FLUFFY. (I know, it's not perfect and there are plot holes there somewhere, but I had to just get it out of my head :D I hope you enjoy!)


End file.
